


Home is Where the Heart Is

by LittleGlassOwl



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Depression, Empathy, F/F, F/M, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Home, M/M, Office
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:24:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10767033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleGlassOwl/pseuds/LittleGlassOwl
Summary: Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are three recent college graduates looking for a job. So, they go where everyone in their field and level of ROTC experience go; Law Firm Maria.Or as they come to find out, the Shiganshina Corporation. Where the seemingly innocent office doors hide a far darker truth; a truth that encompasses all of them in a mysterious 'fate', a truth that shows them the secrets of their families, a truth that may show them the real horror of the world they live in.Along with the rest of the 104th and their superiors, the trio must decide who to trust as they discover what lies behind the locked doors of Shiganshina.





	1. Windsor Knots and Satin Sheets

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to "Home is Where the Heart Is", a fic that originally started because of one of my best friends who decided that the Marleyan bunch were her babies and she needed a fluffy fic to heal her heart. 
> 
> What was originally intended to be a one-shot or maybe two-shot has now blossomed into about 6k words, and nowhere near finished. I promise there is a plot to this, and hopefully the beginning is not too slow for all you SnK fans! 
> 
> Note* This fic may or may not turn into one that is depressing(ok it will), and definitely will eventually have descriptions of graphic violence.(because...SnK.) As of right now however, it is fluffy for the immediate present. I will update ratings/warnings as we come to them, but for now I just want to see where the creativity river takes me!

“Eren! Wake up!” Mikasa’s voice cut through his dreams, jarring him to reality. Eren blearily woke up, eyes blurred from sleep. Rubbing them, he sat up in the soft covers of his bed, bought surprisingly at Mikasa’s insistence. Usually, she was the one constantly reminding them about how low their budget was for such luxuries. Being fresh out of college and still on the look for permanent jobs was taxing on the three of them, understandably, and their part time jobs earned them only enough for a shared apartment between the three of them and a good AC system. Their apartment provided refrigerator was...mediocre to say the least, and the damn thing creaked and groaned and complained in the mornings. 

Still, it wasn’t a bad situation in the slightest. They were stressed but happy with a roof over their heads, and although Mikasa nagged Eren as much as his mother had done, he didn’t really mind at all.

“Eren! I swear if you don’t wake up right now, I’ll eat half of your portion!” Mikasa yelled again, and Eren bolted up from the bed. He didn’t mind...in general. Brunch...was a different story.

“Coming!” He shouted back as he thrust on clothes and tried not to trip over his own limbs. He wasn’t particularly clumsy, but he often tripped over himself in his haste. Eren looked at himself briefly in the mirror to make sure his shirt wasn’t on backwards and his hair looked less like a dead rat and more like a purposefully messy hairdo. He rushed out of the door to their bedroom, noticing suddenly that Armin was nowhere to be found. His bed (aka mattress with box springs) was neatly made, and so was Mikasa’s. 

“Hey Mikasa? Where did Armin go?” Eren asked, finally stepping out from the doorway. Mikasa was at the stove, cooking up some fried rice with vegetables and eggs. Her hair was tied up uncharacteristically, and her ever present red scarf was draped neatly over one of the chairs. A red apron covered her normal clothes, preventing any splashes. The picture made Eren think of his mother for a second, and he smiled subconsciously. 

“Oh, Armin? He went out on another job interview. For that law firm. Maria, I think? Don’t worry, I wished him enough luck for the both of us before he left.” Mikasa turned around and said, expression neutral but with enough warmth in it for Eren to know that she really was rooting for Armin. 

“Oh, alright. When is he coming back?” Eren continued, and Mikasa shrugged.

“I think maybe right around now? He left early this morning.” She confirmed, and speak of the devil! The rustling of keys outside their door alerted them to Armin’s return.

“Armin!!!” Eren shouted happily as he jumped up from the table. He barely even noticed when he banged his hip on the side, hurrying over to his friend. Armin, resplendent in a suit and royal blue tie, staggered back into the kitchenette area. His briefcase hung loosely at his side, completely forgotten, as his other hand reached for a nearby can of chilled Sprite. 

“Hey, Eren! Hi, Mikasa. I’m back...” Armin yawned hugely as he clutched his can of soda and slowly walked towards the coat closet. 

“So...How did it go…?” Eren asked, curiously. Armin smiled as he loosened his Windsor knot, taking off his suit jacket and hanging the tie on the clothes hanger.  
“It went...really well, I think! One of the military commanders recommended me for the position. Commander Erwin? He was my boss when we were in the ROTC, remember?” Armin said, grinning. Eren did remember. 

In college, the three of them had applied for the ROTC course and managed to get in through various miracles. Armin had surprised the panel with his intelligence and tactical prowess, while Mikasa had blown a few records in the physical tests. Her test scores and grades were also nothing to sneeze at. Eren, on the other hand, had been chosen because of his outstanding interview responses. Apparently, he had awed the panel with his determination and loyalty to serve in the program. His physical exam and test grades were about average, and he was a little brat according to his boss, Commander (Or Captain, as everyone called him) Levi though, so he was skeptical to say the least. When he asked, albeit nervously, the leader of the program why he had been chosen, he simply looked at Eren with a sparkle in his eyes and took a swig from his canteen. 

Mikasa stood by the two, setting out plates and silverware for lunch, pouring steaming coffee into each of their mugs. Although she didn’t tend to say much during their conversations unless really necessary, she was always present and it was comforting to know she had both of their backs. 

“That’s awesome! You might actually get the job! I would have tried to apply for the division but Captain Levi would have kicked me in the shins...” Eren winced as he remembered his own boss’ preferred method of discipline. Mikasa had harbored an intense dislike for Captain Levi due to his constant harsh ways; if Eren screwed up in a big way, he would not hesitate to kick him or punish him. He had to admit however, the Captain was a good man, and equally didn’t hesitate to defend him in the face of the upper echelon. All in all, Eren respected him almost more than anyone he knew. 

“Let’s eat, Eren, Armin.” Mikasa gestured to the set table, and the three sat down to eat their hearty brunch.

“Mmm!! Mikasa, you’ve gotten so much better at cooking...Oh this is heavenly.” Armin practically sobbed with gratitude as he wolfed down the perfectly cooked fried rice. The vegetable soup she had made the night before was also finished without a drop left in the bowl. 

“Thank you for the meal!” Eren and Armin chorused in unison as Mikasa rolled her eyes at the dramatic gesture but smiled nonetheless.

“So, what’s on the agenda for the rest of today? Also, Eren, you can’t just keep sleeping until lunchtime every day...It’s not good for your circadian rhythm!” Armin simultaneously asked Mikasa and scolded Eren.

“Well, my interview is scheduled in a few hours, and Eren’s is in the late afternoon. After that is the party, so we have to go shopping for food and snacks.” Mikasa listed, counting off the events on her fingers.

“I think we might have to get twice as much as we would normally need...we invited Sasha and Connie, didn’t we?” Eren chimed in, thinking of their fellow ROTC members with reputationally large appetites. He also, as a side motive, wanted to distract both Mikasa and Armin from his sleeping in. After working late hours at his part time job as a bartender, Eren usually came back quite late and flopped onto his bed. Until he got a proper job, Eren wanted to have a flexible enough morning to sleep in a little. 

“That’s...actually a very good idea. I think I saw Sasha eat an entire cake in one sitting once. Boston Creme, if I remember correctly. It was...kind of terrifying, actually.” Armin scratched his head, shuddering exaggeratedly at the memory. Eren and Mikasa both chuckled a little, amused at his acting skills. 

“Alright, I’ll make a list of ingredients and snacks we need to get, and Armin and I can go get those while Eren has his interview. How’s that sound, Armin?” Mikasa took charge, taking out a pen and some notebook paper from the side drawer. 

“You sure don’t waste any time, do you Mikasa?” Armin grinned, getting a pen as well so he could add things here and there to the list. Eren groaned. He was going to have to do his job interview in the late afternoon, and it was already past noon. He would have to dig out his suit and tie from his ROTC days. Who knew if it even fit? Until now, he had rented suits from various places, but had been thrown into the interview pool by Mikasa this time. Aka, he didn’t have enough time to rent a suit, much less go buy a new one. Hopefully his old suit wasn’t decaying in a corner of the closet…

“I prepared your suit for you, Eren. It’s freshly pressed and mothball free, and smells like clean fabric. Your tie is also washed.” Surprisingly, Armin piped up this time, smug grin and all plastered on his face. 

“Oh my god Armin I love you. You’re the best friend ever!” Eren yelped gleefully as he gave said best friend a huge hug. 

“And yes, I know I’ll do something to pay you back.” Eren added at Armin’s prompting raised eyebrow. 

“Well then, I have to get ready. My interview is in about an hour and I have to go soon!” Mikasa stated confidently, rising from the couch where she sat and whisking herself off to the bedroom. No doubt she would get the job, Eren knew. Unlike the past jobs she had interviewed for, this time felt different. With stellar recommendations from Dot Pixis, the leader of the ROTC program, and her own boss, Squad Leader Hanji, she was sure to make it. 

Although they were all interviewing for the same place, Law Firm Maria, there was a vastly different branch system for the firm. As well, despite its title, it was more of a company than an actual law firm, with places of business all over the world and dealings in the military forces to boot. 

“Eren, do you mind if I follow Mikasa out the door? I have some errands to run, and I can get some of the shopping done as well.” Armin broke Eren’s train of thought as he himself rose to get a coat from the closet. Eren nodded, albeit absentmindedly as he ran through possible interview questions. 

“Bye, Eren! We’re off.” Armin waved as he and Mikasa got ready by the door. Mikasa looked sharp and professional in her blazer, pencil skirt hugging her slim frame and hair tied up at the back into a neat ponytail. It was still too short to do braids or a bun, but Eren had to admit she looked quite mature just the same. She was like a sister to him, she was like a mom to him, and although he would never admit it, she was one of the strong anchors that kept him grounded and in the midst of reality. She kept him sane. And for that, he was more grateful than she could ever know.

“Bye, Armin, Mikasa!” Eren ran over and hugged both of his friends tightly, in a moment of familiarity. He felt Mikasa’s hands hesitantly pat him on the back, unused to the physical affection. Armin tensed up for a moment then relaxed, doing the same. 

“Now, Eren. You’re an adult. Perhaps not a really mature adult, but an adult nonetheless. Don’t forget to head out an hour before the interview, and make sure your phone is off or on silent! Remember, never ever wear that hideous checkered shirt with your suit, I’ve set out the light green one that matches your eyes. Your tie is already tied into a Windsor, so don’t fiddle with it and pull out the knot. We all know you can’t tie it properly back yourself. Don’t ramble when answering the interview questions, and for god’s sake think before you talk.” Mikasa spoke, tone infused with amusement as Eren’s bright eyes flared with indignance. Armin hid a laugh with a few coughs as he straightened his coat buttons. 

“Gosh I know, Mikasa! I won’t forget. You should be focusing on your own interview instead!” Eren shot back, mildly defensive but not really offended. Mikasa had always been like this, and so had Armin. He was used to it after how long they had known each other. In truth, he appreciated when Mikasa checked back with him, and made sure he was alright. He was glad even when Armin had woken him up on his bad days, making sure he smiled a few times and maybe even laughed once or twice. They were his family, and that would never change.

“Alright you two, get out of here! I’ll text you later when I’m heading out.” He clapped both of them on the back, grinning as they disappeared from sight down the apartment steps.  
When the door closed, Eren sank down to the floor, exhausted. He had had that bad dream again, and it was always emotionally and physically draining. Whenever his eyes closed for sleep, he dreamt of mountains and giants, oceans and rain crashing down all around him. This time, it was particularly difficult because he watched as Armin and Mikasa disappeared down the throats of hideous looking monsters that roared loudly, crimson spattering over the verdant grass. 

One time, he had woken up in the middle of the night, panting and crying, and woke Mikasa and Armin up by accident as well. His friends had asked him over and over again why he was shaking so, but he couldn’t answer. All he remembered of that dream was a pair of eyes, staring emptily into his soul, and the thought terrified him.  
Even now, he wouldn’t tell them about it. It was perhaps a bit of his stupidly strong pride that refused to let him talk, but he also didn’t want to worry them. He did that enough as it was, daily. His part time job was crafted with the latest possible times, so that when he got home from his shift he was too tired to dream. 

Sighing heavily, he rose from the cold tiles of the doorway and headed toward his bedroom. His suit, like Armin said, was hanging prominently in the closet, neatly pressed and fresh despite its age. Eren still had a few hours, but he needed to get out of the house. 

Dressing slowly and meticulously, Eren pulled on his suit. Luckily, it still fit quite snugly. It had been a good idea to work out on a daily basis, like his Captain had suggested. More like ordered.  
Eren looked at his tie blankly for a second before slipping it on over his head, tightening it. The impeccable Windsor knot stood out against his collar, harmonizing with the rest of the color scheme of his outfit. He had to admit, he didn’t look half bad. The suit still fit him, albeit a little short and tight here and there, but he could live with that.

He finally finished dressing, and made sure he had collected everything he needed to bring in his briefcase. Checking that his key was on his briefcase hook, he turned out all the lights and headed to the door. Shiny black shoes slipped on like a glove, and Eren turned the doorknob to the bright world outside.


	2. Interviews and Reminiscence

It was a frosty yet pleasant autumn afternoon when Eren finally got out of the apartment and started walking down the street to his interviewing location. If he got in, he would in fact be working in the other direction, but the testing center had been two blocks down the crowded street the other way. It was quite a convenient place for an apartment, Eren knew. There was everything one could possibly need in a few mile range, and there was a convenience store literally to the right of their building, and the company was down a block to their left. Mikasa had smirked when co-signing the papers, cheekily commenting that Eren would probably get lost even with the simple layout. 

Contemplating whether he had time to just sit and look at the bright burnt orange leaves, he decided against it. It was better that he get to the center early, and Mikasa would kill him later of she found out that he had dawdled. Besides, he wanted to get the interview over with. He hated them with a passion. Someone’s entire life laid bare with a few sheets of paper and a conversation. To him, the entire thing just sounded so superficial. Same thing with something like Tinder, where attraction was based on looks alone.  
Eren sighed as he realized that this was probably why he was still single. He had had a few one night stands and a brief stint with a colleague, Jean, but that was about it. That hadn’t lasted long either. In his musings, he had reached the glass building, panes of seemingly fragile transparency lining the walls and tops of the architecture. He stepped into the blessedly warm rooms of the testing center, where a large and loud sign directed him towards the waiting room. Eren took a moment to gather his bearings and looked around the room, not seeing any familiar faces. He sat down in a chair in the far corner, stretching his legs and relaxing. 

“Eren Jaeger? Please come with me into the interview room.” An unfamiliar voice jarred him from his momentary distractions, and he leapt up from the uncomfortable chair. It was time. Shouldn’t be nervous. Nothing to worry about, right? So he thought, slightly panicked. He usually had Mikasa or Armin to help calm him down during times like these, where he usually got stage fright. To calm himself down a little, he took deep, shaky breaths in and out. In and out. In and out. He did so as he walked down the foreboding hallway with the blond haired man, seemingly in his late twenties or early thirties. His round glasses and scraggly beard made him look like a cross between a doctor and a history professor. The image was further brought to life by his suit, a dark blue construction with matching pocket square and a tie covered in…ponies?

“In here, Mr. Jaeger. Please wait for the cue from the judging panel, and then step into the room. I wish you the best of luck.” The blond man turned around, leaving Eren to contemplate the possible interview questions in silence. Unlike most jobs, Law Firm Maria freely released its interview questions per year. Their official statement was that ‘it would be easy to tell who is being sincere or not’. Eren didn’t know how that would work, but nonetheless he practiced and looked them over at Mikasa’s insistence. 

“Mr. Jaeger, we are ready for you.” A booming, commanding voice echoed out into the hallway, and Eren jumped up, palms sweaty and breath coming in quick, audible gasps. He closed his eyes and forced himself to slow down. It wouldn’t do him good if he stuttered through his sentences in a hasty fashion. The judges would cringe hearing that as well.

With one last, deep breath, Eren stepped into the richly lit meeting room, scanning it out of habit. His bright eyes fell on the panel of judges, sipping water from half empty bottles and munching briefly on small sweets intended for quick energy throughout the day. There was a chair pulled out for him, in front of all of them. Despite their being separated by an ebony colored table and stacks of papers, Eren found himself instantly on alert for every little twitch and change in emotion from the judges. He would remember later that there were two men and two women, spaced evenly on the opposite side of the wide office table. 

Sitting down, he threaded his fingers through each other out of a need to keep them still, not fidgeting. 

“Welcome to the interview portion of your application, Mr. Jaeger. We will ask you three questions out of the five previously provided, and...oh fuck it.” The man in the middle, replete with a bald head and severe looking expression, spoke. He was vaguely reminiscent of a potato, Eren noticed, and the amusing thought made him relax a little.

“I’ve been reading these same fucking directions all day, Mr. Jaeger, so forgive me if I just summarize it. Basically, we’ll ask you three questions of our choosing. You have to answer them as honestly as you can.” Mr. Potato (nicknamed for the moment by a nervous Eren) continued. He paused for a moment to gauge Eren’s reaction, continuing when Eren nodded in understanding.

“Finally, we will each ask you a question to determine your worth for getting into this firm.” The bald man finished, and coughed as he rearranged his papers.

“Are you ready?” A woman to the right of the bald man asked kindly, strawberry blond hair swishing gently across her shoulders as she tucked it behind her ear. Eren nodded, swallowing. This was it. His answers would determine whether he got the job, would determine whether he would keep being able to pay his portion of the rent, would determine whether he could build up his self esteem again. He had decided long ago that he would do this for himself, for perhaps Armin and Mikasa as well, but mainly for himself. He was tired of living in his own darkness, surrounded by grief and anxiety, and it was time for him to get out of the depression that so enveloped him.

“So, first question. If you were put in a dangerous situation where you were forced to choose either your best friend or your sibling to die, who would you choose?” The woman continued, clicking her pen in preparation for his answer.  
Eren was...taken aback, to say the least, at the unexpected question. This wasn’t part of the questions that Law Firm Maria had released! It had been the standard interview questions regarding his personality, his job, and his future...What was going on? 

“Well, that’s a no-brainer. I would save both of them.” Eren nevertheless answered, without hesitation. Even if it was the ‘wrong answer’ he actually didn’t care. Not in this case.

“And why is that? Even if I said that you have to choose one and only one?” The woman kept pressing, and Eren strangely wasn’t insulted.

“Because the both of them are my family. Both of them are my best friends. I wouldn’t choose one over the other any day of my life. Even if it seemed impossible, I would try and save both.” He confirmed, voice cracking under the emotion but firm in his convictions. All tension left his shoulders as he leaned into his words. They were what gave him support here. This was how the people in front of him would pass judgement. He suddenly had a newfound appreciation for such interviews, especially this one. He could be honest here, and he wouldn’t be judged as any less. The thought filled him with confidence, and his heart swelled as a new voice spoke. 

“Alright, ahem. Next question.” This time, the voice came from his far left, coughing a little as he spoke. This man was blond haired, although more a saturated sunkissed gold than the bright yellow of Armin or Commander Erwin. He seemed to sniff at the air, and Eren felt oddly like he was being accessed by smell alone. He didn’t stink, did he? He made sure to take a shower before he left the house…  
“What has been your worst moment, and how did you cope with it?” The man asked, running a hand through his hair as he lifted his hand to write. 

At this point, Eren wasn’t surprised by the yet another unexpected question. This one was an easier one, although more difficult to talk about.

“The...The worst moment of my life was when I watched my mother die. Cancer. Stage 4 and highly aggressive. I watched it eat her alive until she was nothing more than a shell of herself. She couldn't...she couldn’t even speak. I hated everything about the universe. I was almost glad when she died because at least she would be at peace and wouldn’t have to suffer anymore. My father grew distant and further into alcoholism and my sister and I were basically on our own after that. That’s why I swore to myself on that day, I would live every day like it was my last. I try not to say something that couldn’t stand as the last thing I say to someone. As for how I coped with it, I didn’t. Not for a while. After her death it took a long time to get past her shadow lurking in the corner of my eye. It took a long time for me to let myself be happy, and the only friends I had were my sister and my best friend. It was only in college when I signed up for the ROTC that I made true friends and people I respected, and they have made me the person I am today.” Eren finished, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He blinked them back, refusing to let them blur his way forward. 

The blond haired man who had seemed to sniff him was sniffing now, but for a different reason. His expression softened, and he nodded in understanding. The entire panel suddenly seemed kinder, as if they had genuinely experienced loss like he had and were empathizing with him. 

“N...Next question.” Stuttered the woman to his far right, breaking the silence. She had short cropped blonde hair with the original raven-black poking out from beneath. Clearing her throat, she wiped a tear away before continuing.

“What one thing do you absolutely want to do before you die?” She asked, closing her eyes as if the question had wounded her. When she opened them again, the gaze was steely, but not in a way directed toward Eren. It seemed more as if she was trying to hold herself together.

“I want...to see the ocean. I want to see the ocean with all of my friends and family and enjoy all of life’s little pleasures; hearing the ocean waves swelling as they creep up the sand, feeling the setting sun’s heat on my back, and laughing my hardest to whatever my friends say. And I, despite the knowledge that I was about to die, would be at peace. My mother taught me how to smile even in the face of death, and I intend to do the same with my family around me.” Eren finished, simply. There was nothing more to say. 

Everything was silent for a minute. It was as if the entire room was empty as the four in front of him contemplated his answers. 

Then, in one cohesive movement, they looked toward each other and nodded.

“Mr. Jaeger. Eren. We...have unanimously come to a decision.” Said the strawberry blonde woman. She took in a shuddering breath as she let a little bit of the professionalism slip. 

“We accept you into Law Firm Maria. Your words were inspiring, heartfelt, and so so true, and I…I think we all see that you belong here.” She said, pressing on despite the twin stream of tears slipping down her cheeks.

“That being said, we need to tell you something. You may have noticed that we skipped the very last part of the interview, and that is because we think you are fit to know and be a part of what the Law Firm Maria really is.” She continued, and Eren paused. This was a lot of information he was receiving at once. He was still rather emotionally drained from pouring out his soul to the panel, ecstatic about the fact that he got accepted, and now confused as to what they were talking about.

“Let me explain. My name is Petra Ral, and I am part of the Special Op Squad. This is Keith Shadis, former Commander and present instructor. Next to him is Nanaba, veteran member, and next to her is Mike Zacharias, Squad Leader. We represent a different part of the Shiganshina Corporation, Law Firm Maria’s real name.” Petra listed, pointing to each person in turn. Eren was vaguely following along but rather in shock at what was going on. There had been a reason for Commander Erwin to recommend the job to him and even give him a recommendation! It was beginning to make slightly more sense.  
“The reason that we deviated from the original provided questions was to gauge your reaction to the change and how you would deal with it. The actual answer was less important than your reaction time and your ability to mask your shock, although as you can see, you’ve affected us all with your words.” Petra paused here, sniffing and laughing as she wiped away tears of bittersweet reminiscence. She had not seen someone like Eren in a long time. 

Now she knew why Levi placed a hand on her shoulder and told her in a quiet, low voice, to go and interview ‘that shitty brat’. He knew that Eren would reach inside her heart and make her remember the painful losses in her life, her commander knew that she would cry. Damn him. Damn him to the high heavens but for the life of her, Petra couldn’t make herself hate him for it. For making her go and sit through dozens of interviews, voice growing hoarse as she tried to wet her dry tongue with some water. Dozens of answers that made her grow more bitter and insensitive. “What’s been your worst moment?”, she would ask, and she could see their lies and feel their untruth as sharp as needles. “My worst moment was when I got an F on a test and I got through it by studying harder.”, she would hear, and there was nothing more that she had wanted than to reach over the meeting table and shake them in their collars. There was no right answer, but only the truth. 

“Ahem. So. Congratulations on your acceptance. You were studying under Captain Levi, correct? As it turns out, he is my boss. In fact, he was the one who recommended you to me, Mike, and Keith, on top of Commander Erwin.” Petra composed herself and charged forward. This was slightly easier now that she had a chance to distract herself. 

She smiled wryly at Eren as his face contorted into one of abject shock.

“Wait...what? Captain Levi...recommended me?” Eren chuckled, not being able to imagine the strict, clean-freak commander recommending him, of all people, for success. If anything, he would probably have shoved Eren’s head into the bathrooms and told him to clean until it was spotless. 

“Well then, Eren. I can imagine you must be quite exhausted from the interview. Please, go home and have a well-deserved rest. We will contact you in a few days with the rest of the new members. Please email us if you have any further questions.” Instructor Shadis wrapped up the explanation, expression kinder now. 

“Thank you! Thank you all so much. I can’t wait to start working here.” Eren stood up from his chair, stretching for a second before bowing to the panel. Beaming, he strode out the office door with a spring in his step, resolving to look at everything in a more positive light. 

The four exhausted judges sat back in their chairs, collectively letting out deep breaths. Eren had been the last interview of the day, and they had only accepted a few others besides him. 

“Well. What do you all say we go out and get some drinks? I feel like we need it.” Shadis suggested, and Nanaba wanted to laugh. Even Mike huffed out a chuckle at the ridiculous notion.  
“Pardon me, Instructor, but I believe it is still late afternoon...We can go to the bar in a few hours after we report back to Commander Erwin of our new members. Petra, please notify Captain Levi as well. I’m sure he will be most delighted to hear that his junior has made it in. Passed the interview with flying colors, in fact.” Nanaba clicked her shoulders, releasing the tension that had built up in them.  
“Alright, then. Good point, Ms. Nanaba.” Shadis relented, standing up and clicking his pen closed. It was finally over. The crew walked out of the mundane meeting room, flipping off the light switch with a sense of finality that they had never particularly felt before when finishing a day of interviews.


	3. Reunions and Fluff

Eren felt like skipping along the grass-lined sidewalk back to his apartment, although that would be ridiculous for a mature, self-respecting adult like him…  
He found himself skipping just the tiniest bit along the grass-lined sidewalk. It couldn’t really hurt his image anyway, and he had a reason to be in such light spirits.

“I GOT THE JOB!!!” He yelled to no one in particular, startling a few pigeons nesting on the rooftop of a nearby building. 

Eren couldn’t stop smiling. And how could he not? Nothing could ruin his day now, not even the shadows of his darkest dreams. It was like bathing in sunlight, despite the orange-purple-pink watercolors of the sunset. 

He could see the high rise of his apartment building, and counted up the floors as he always did. It was a thing that his mother used to do with him, and the habit stuck with him even after all these years after her passing. 

‘Mommy, can we play the ‘how many floors are there’ game?’ He would ask, and his mother would smile broadly, ruffling his hair as they strolled down the parkside walkways. It was a fond memory of her, one that helped to sooth him even on his worst days. 

In his contemplation, he realized that it was around 5:00 pm, and the sky was beginning to darken in a fantastically navy blue color. The chilly breeze made him shiver involuntarily, and he rubbed his arms in an attempt to keep himself warm. Almost there. 

The welcome blue lights of the access code next to the communal front door greeted him, and he had never been happier to see the winking security pad. He remembered fondly when he had learned the access code...or rather when it had taken him about a week to be able to recall the numbers in the right order. Mikasa had hid a smile behind her hand, and Armin straight up laughed his head off when Eren had switched the numbers a few times. Those were fond memories when they were coming off of the high from graduating college; the feeling of being proper adults that could live on their own, albeit with some stretching of finances here and there. 

There was a click and a whirring sound when he tapped the correct numbers (He could remember the numbers even at night thank you Mikasa) and stepped into the infinitely warmer corridor leading to his front door. Their apartment was right on the bottom floor, making it easy to navigate, and there was no hassle with the nearby elevator that was almost as slow as walking up the stairs to the top floor. Eren fished out the key that hung from his neck, small and silver to match the doorknob of the residence. With some difficulty, he undid the necklace so that he wouldn’t have to crouch awkwardly trying to open the door. A few turns and a snap-click later, he was home. 

The heater had been turned off to conserve energy, and it was rather chilly in the entryway where Eren sat down and took off his shoes. They were rarely worn, and so he was glad for the protection of his socks so his feet weren’t too badly chafed. Even so, his feet were red after walking around for a few hours with the uncomfortable dress shoes.   
Eren froze as he realized that something seemed off with the apartment. There was a light on that shouldn’t be, right near the kitchenette. It was behind the countertop so he couldn’t directly see it, but there was a small light that was on. Perhaps a flashlight? Either way, Eren couldn’t take any chances. He stood up, slowly, keeping his phone close with him and picking up a shoe. As he snuck closer to the source of the dim flickering light, he felt his heart pounding with anticipation. 

He turned the corner and…

“EREN! Welcome home!!” Shouted multiple voices in unison, and Eren jumped back in shock, yelping a little as he stubbed his toe on the foot of a nearby chair. The familiar lights of the small living room flooded his vision as he registered who had scared the shit out of him.

“Wait...guys? What are you...” Eren took a moment to gather his bearings as he made out the faces of his friends; Connie, Sasha, Jean, Armin, Mikasa, and Historia, and Ymir. Connie and Sasha were munching on chips, gesticulating wildly in place of words. Mikasa was beaming, a sight that he had rarely seen, and Armin was almost jumping up and down with joy. 

When Eren was finally pulled up to his feet, he saw a banner hanging across their small kitchenette that read ‘Congratulations for getting the job, Eren!’. Silver and gold tassels lined their table and there was a pile of snacks and desserts almost making the table look like a small accessory compared to the mountain of food.

“Wait..How..I just...I literally just came home from the interview...How on earth would you all know if I got the job or not?” Eren protested, dropping his coat. It would have been quite awkward if he hadn’t gotten the job. Unless...

“I told them about it.” A new voice, a smooth, deep tenor, made Eren look around to find its source.

“Co...Commander!” Eren yelped as Erwin, Commander Erwin, stepped out from behind his couch. His couch. His couch. Or rather, Mikasa and Armin’s as well, but Eren wasn’t quite paying attention to pronouns at the moment.

“To be honest, I wasn’t really surprised when you got the job; Levi recommended you pretty highly to me and even suggested that he would kick me as hard as he could in the shins if I didn’t recommend you to the others. And, by the way, Petra messaged me specially to inform me of your acceptance.” Erwin explained, chuckling. His booming laugh was infectious, and soon the rest of the room besides Eren was echoing with laughter. Eren, on the other hand, was still quite confused. So if he had gotten this straight...His snarky, violent, slightly (completely) sadistic clean freak of a captain had recommended Eren to the Commander? And then the Commander had recommended him to Law Firm Maria? (Shiganshina Corporation, he had to remind himself). 

Hell must have frozen over. That was the only possible way he could see himself in this particular situation. 

The confusion on his face must have shown, because a new voice, a little gruff this time, called out to him from the nearby bathroom door. 

“Hey, shitty brat. Your bathroom isn’t too bad. Clean enough for me to take a shit in it.” Captain. 

“Sir! Thank you captain, sir!” Eren immediately saluted at his former ROTC captain, instinctively snapping to attention lest he get a kick in the back of the knees. Levi rolled his eyes, motioning with a hand for Eren to relax.

“Geez, Eren. Get that stick out of your ass, will you? I’m not going to kick you or anything, I’m not that much of an asshole.” Levi continued, and Eren relaxed, albeit only slightly.   
“Basically Eren, Commander Erwin came by and told us that you’d been accepted! Apparently he was waiting for Petra’s text, and rushed right here. Mikasa and I had already picked up some chips and food for the party anyways.” Armin explained further, making Eren feel like an idiot.

“I...Ohkay...” Eren could only say, still rather bemused at the turn of events. 

“We were already having a party, right? It was easy to convert it into a congratulations party. And...There’s some more good news!” Armin continued, happily.

“Mikasa and I also got accepted!” He shouted, jumping on Eren and giving him a bear hug. On him, it felt more like a kitten. Of course, Eren would never tell Armin that; the boy was sensitive enough as it was. 

“No way! That’s amazing! Mikasa, Armin! We got the job!!” The trio danced around in a circle, holding hands and laughing, forgetting for a moment that they had an amused audience gathered around them. Including their former ROTC bosses. Very professional.

Eren flushed hotly as his eyes flicked to Captain Levi, whose expression bordered on amused.

“Well now! What are we doing here, just standing around all this food? Let’s eat! Mikasa, Armin, if I may?” Erwin clapped his hands, and Mikasa and Armin gestured to the food in a welcoming manner. Sasha, of course, was already starting to devour half the table, despite Connie trying to hold her back.

“Sasha, leave some food for everyone else, alright? Mikasa and Armin got this for us to share. To SHARE. Comprendes?” Connie pleaded, pulling a struggling Sasha away from the dinner table. That girl never changed. Even when she was under her old boss, she would sneak baked potatoes from the kitchens and a snack for every meal. Eren chuckled as Sasha managed to flip Connie onto his stomach, sitting on top of him and continuing to munch on some chips.

Things hadn’t changed, even after graduation. As the motley crew and their old superiors grabbed the nearby disposable plates and lined up, Eren remembered what it was like being in their training corp. Before they had even been separated into different leaders for their sections. They would surround a campfire on the chilly nights and toast marshmallows, and any day where Levi only kicked him a few times was a good day. Even his hard, uncomfortable cot that he slept in was nostalgic to him because of all the experience that he had had during the four years in ROTC.

“Eren! Come over and get some cake.” Mikasa quipped, holding an extra plate of cake out to him. Sasha was drooling over it hungrily, already finished with her piece, and it was no question what he was going to do. Taking the plate from Mikasa’s hand, he warded off a dog-like Sasha while getting a fork. Before he could torture her too much, the slice of cake disappeared down his throat.  
“Sasha, we have mochi ice cream.” Armin consoled, and Sasha jumped up again, disappointment already forgotten.

Eren looked around the room as he grabbed a plate and piled on some chips and pretzels. Mikasa was keeping an eye on the oven as her specialty lasagna cooked, and the smell of warm pasta and tomatoes were already starting to surround the guests.

A sharp bell-sound alerted his attention, and he realized that it was the doorbell. Eren wasn’t quite used to hearing the ding, because not only did they rarely have guests over, Mikasa and Armin always used their keys. 

“Hey, Eren, could you get that?” Mikasa shouted over the friendly banter going around the room, and gestured to the myriad of bowls she was toting around to set up for dinner. Eren nodded, heading to the door and weaving around the small groups of people.

As soon as he opened the door, a blur of a person shot into the room, tackling him to the floor and sitting on top of him with a flourish. Her hearty laugh echoed through the room, and the other party guests gathered around the spectacle.

“What the...Hanji!” Erwin’s shocked voice was the first to respond, taking the newcomer’s arm and hauling her off the winded Eren. 

“Hope I didn’t kill ya there, Eren!” Hanji winked at the still-flat Eren who had seen stars for a second. He was still trying to catch his breath. 

“Squad Leader?” Armin addressed, looking more than a little bewildered. She had been on the guest list but she had told Mikasa she had some business...Mikasa looked equally perplexed. Perhaps she had just finished it early and come to visit. 

“Hi everyone! Sorry for crushing you Eren, hope you’ll be okay.” Hanji apologized, face full of glee and completely not sorry. The room burst into laughter, and Eren stood up while rubbing his sore torso. It was as if he had belly-flopped into a pool from the diving board...if the pool was Mikasa’s boss, Squad Leader, and had slammed onto him. He held up a hand nonetheless, wheezing out an ‘ok’ in response.

“Now. Let’s get down to business. Food!” Hanji cheered as Mikasa pulled out the fresh lasagna amongst all the chaos, holding it out in front of her to make sure she didn’t spill it on anything. Everyone crowded around their dinner table, a practical piece of woodwork that could seat a full two dozen people when completely extended. Usually, it was a quarter of the size because it was just the three of them using it, but now ebony colored panels stretched almost from wall to wall. There was just enough space to seat two more at either end and have some room to squeeze through. If there was only one word to describe Mikasa, it was ‘practical’. That’s why Armin and Mikasa were the ones to design the layout of the apartment to be the most cost-effective apartment possible, and Eren was the one who ended up doing a bunch of heavy lifting. Not to say Mikasa couldn’t lift things; hell she could probably lift both Eren and Armin on a regular day, but she also handled most of the interior design and saved them hundreds of dollars by finding cheap deals on furniture. 

“Eren?” Mikasa tapped his shoulder from behind him, and Eren jumped in his seat, startled. Everyone was looking at him, silent, and Eren realized he had been looking off into space with his fork halfway to his mouth. Way to look smart.

“Oh! I...um...sorry. I got distracted.” Shaking his head, Eren continued eating. The lasagna was perhaps one of the best things he had ever tasted, with the soft pasta blending with the cheese and tomatoes. 

Everyone voiced their appreciation, digging in. The mountain of lasagna that had been precariously balanced on the countertop basically disappeared as the ROTC training corps and Erwin, Levi, and Hanji devoured the savory dinner.

“Ooh Mikasa that was fantastic. I almost want to keep you at our house!” Hanji sat back on the stool, rubbing her stomach contentedly.

“Hey! Don’t I cook well enough for the both of us?” Erwin interjected, earning a chorus of ooh’s from the peanut gallery. 

“Oh of course you do, Erwin! But you always burn the lasagna. How on earth do you burn lasagna? Mikasa makes it perfectly ~” Hanji beamed, slipping another piece of still-warm pasta in her mouth. Erwin conceded, albeit a bit huffily. Crossing his arms, he aimed a sulky look towards her that only served to make her burst out laughing, pointing at his eyebrows that seemed to have fused together with the expression.

“That’s why everyone calls you ‘Eyebrows’ behind your back!” She teased, playfully. 

While Levi was observing the scene neutrally, Hanji was laughing maniacally, Erwin was still sulking with an amusing-but-terrifying look on his face, and the rest of the group were afraid to laugh for fear of facing the wrath of their superior. 

“Well! So. For dessert, if you’d like, there’s some pumpkin pie in the fridge. It should be nice and cold, and relatively fresh. I didn’t make it though, I bought it from the small bakery next to us. *‘Le Café Titane’.” Mikasa cleared her throat, breaking the tension with a click of her tongue and bringing over the dessert. Her french accent was impeccable, as always, and the syllables seemed to roll off her palate with ease. When Eren had tried to speak french, Mikasa had looked at him sympathetically and told him under no circumstances should he ever try to speak it again. 

“Le Café Titane, huh? I should go check it out. I don’t usually like sweets but it isn’t half bad, Ackerman.” Levi commented after taking a bite of the creamy pie. 

“How is everyone so good at French accents?!” Eren blurted out, and turned promptly red as the entire table turned to him for what seemed like the umpteenth time in the day. 

“It’s just you who’s terrible at it, shitty brat.” Levi quipped without missing a beat. Everyone burst out laughing at the impeccable timing, and even Mikasa hid a smile behind her hand.  
Despite all the teasing and commotion, this was what Eren had been missing. They hadn’t had a get together party since a year ago, and even that hadn’t included half the people there because of timing on everyone’s busy schedules. 

As people finally started filing out for the night despite Hanji’s insistence of a drinking party, the three of them stood by the door and handed coats and bags to their respective owners. 

“I sincerely congratulate you three for getting into our firm! Be on the lookout for an email in a few days. Until then, goodnight.” Erwin said on his way out, in the formal way that they were used to. Waving over his shoulder, he stepped out into the chilly night with his wool coat securely around him. Eren, Mikasa, and Armin saluted, partly out of habit and partly out of genuine respect for their commander. Levi on the other hand just waved lazily and murmured a soft ‘goodnight’ with a yawn, and Hanji tousled Eren’s hair rather violently in the familiar way of hers. 

After everyone had finally left and Sasha had stuffed a leftover bagel into her mouth while incoherently praising the food, the exhausted trio flopped onto the couch. Their guests were kind enough to at least put their dishes in the sink, so Eren considered the cleaning up half done. With a wince, he remembered when Captain Levi had found a few crumbs of bread on the table he was supposed to clean and nearly punched Eren’s heart out of his chest. (He later claimed, when asked, that he was aiming for Eren’s stomach). Not half clean, then. 

“Let’s just take...a five minute break, okay? Tomorrow is Sunday and we have to show up for work next week!” Eren protested, and he and Armin looked to Mikasa for approval. Not that she ran everything but she tended to make the judgement calls on anything regarding the apartment. She sighed, looking towards the mess but nodding in defeat as she was rather exhausted as well. Lasagnas weren’t particularly difficult to make, but she had been rushing from place to place because of her interview, shopping, then coming home before all the guests arrived. Needless to say, she was as tired as Eren and Armin.

Within a few minutes of sitting on their couch, the trio fell asleep against each other as the night lights of the city flickered to life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi to all the readers! Thanks for stopping by in chapter 3. I currently don't have wifi at my house so updates may be a little delayed. Unlikely, but in the chance that I don't get to post the next chapter, this is a longer one! If anyone's starting to get bored because of no action, the next chapter on is going to pick up the pace quite soon. Cheers! ~Aria


	4. Assassins That Tease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or in which, Annie is a complete tease to Reiner and Bertholdt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late update: A lot of life things happened and I'm still adjusting to a new schedule of writing and balancing errands. It's a shorter update this time because of this but I'll try to write a longer chapter next time! Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to leave a comment or a kudos. ~LittleGlassOwl

While the three new members of the Shiganshina Corps slept, another trio roamed the city’s alleyways, stealthily approaching their target. Their movements were coordinated perfectly, and even when working undercover they were calm and decisive in their kills. 

“Come in, Agent Sparrow! What’s your position to the target?” The blond male whispered into his comms device, fingers fidgeting from the anticipation. It had not been his first mission, nor the hardest. This kind of thing was routine for them after years of training, and at this point, chillingly numbing. 

“Agent Sparrow here, currently ten meters away from the target and incapacitating guards.” A female voice replied, cold and calm as usual. She never showed her warm side (tepid, the blond reminded himself) on a mission. 

“Roger that. Agent Bluejay? Where are you at?” The blond continued, huffing out a sigh of relief as he ran closer to the lights of the mansion before them. He was about ten meters away himself, concealed in a temporary blind spot. 

“Same, Agent Canary. At a distance of about ten meters to the target, closing in to the right of the front grounds.” His other teammate responded quietly. His comrade’s voice was a smooth blend of tenor and alto, somewhere in the middle that he couldn’t exactly pinpoint but the sound soothed him all the same. 

“Perfect. We have him surrounded. Do not engage, I repeat do NOT engage until I give the signal.” The blond continued, racing past the trees quite quietly for his large frame. He felt as if the knife strapped to his thigh were alive, singing for the blood of their target. This is what he had signed up for. Not the mindless killing of who he served, who had imprisoned him and his team when they were just children. 

“Roger that.” He heard a duet of voices in affirmation and sighed a breath of relief. He trusted them wholeheartedly but they didn’t usually cooperate very well in terms of orders. Luckily this was a good day so far.

“Alright. In one. Two. THREE!” He jumped up athletically onto the elegant balcony from the tree that he had been hiding in, and he heard twin rushes of wind as his companions leapt up onto the other balconies. 

He spotted his target with his back to all three windows. This was it. As soon as he jumped from the windowsill to the carpeted floor, two other shadows joined him in perfect synchronicity. They had done this multiple times, after all.

“Wh….Who are you?! And how did you get in here? Where are my guards???!!!” Yelled their target; a fat old man with a history of trafficking children across the city. He had noticed the shadows and turned around. Too late.

A flash of blonde hair was all he saw as her graceful form darted across the room and slit her signature blade across the angry man’s throat. Blood beaded at the seams of the wound, then trickled downwards as the target gasped in shock. His heart would eventually kill him, sending more blood up to his brain like that. He soon lay still with not a drop of blood spilled on the carpets.   
“Good work, you two. Let’s get back to HQ and report that we completed our mission successfully.” He let out a sigh. It hadn’t really required the three of them to assassinate one target but they were still learning the ropes and were there for backup in case something went wrong. 

Mission complete, they darted out the way they had come, quieter than the birds they were code named after.

*______*  
“Well done; Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie. You completed your mission successfully and have proven your skill in the field. Expect another one in a few days and there will be some new recruits who are very talented. Be sure to help them, alright? They will be adjusting to what we really do here at Shiganshina Corps.” The respective trio saluted firmly as their Squad Leader stood up and stretched.   
“Again, well done. Dismissed!” Their boss said with a wave of her hand.

Turning to leave, Reiner glanced at his companions. He inevitably got worried about them, especially Annie as she never talked to him. Bertholdt would sit and talk the night away with his problems and stresses and Reiner would gladly listen to him for hours. Annie however, never seemed to want his help, and that bothered him. Underneath the cold, bored-looking exterior, he knew she had a human side to her as well.

“Annie. I know you don’t like to talk to me or Bertholdt...but just know that we’re here for you, okay?” Reiner reassured, and the corners of Annie’s mouth perked up in a tiny smile. It was a rare occurrence, and Reiner couldn’t help but smile back. She nodded, and walked off toward the mess hall for some early breakfast. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon and it was rather cold, so the idea of some warm soup was heavenly. After a moment’s pause, he headed back to his shared dorm with Bertholdt. 

“Bertholdt?” Reiner called as he stepped into their quarters. It was a modest residence with a bunk bed in the corner and a desk opposite it, a few strings of fairy lights strung up from corner to corner and a bright lamp on the desk. The fairy lights were Bertholdt’s idea, and Reiner did not have the heart to tell him that they looked slightly off-putting whenever he walked into the room. They didn’t bother him that much but he was just worried that the lights, strung all about the curtains, were a potential fire hazard in the narrow room.

“I’ll be right out, Reiner! Just finished taking a shower.” Bertholdt called from the equally small bathroom that they shared. Soon enough, he stepped out of the steaming bathroom with a light blue towel wrapped around his waist, toweling his hair off with another smaller one. His raven black hair glistened from the water and more so because of the lights, and he sighed as he rolled his shoulders to stretch them out. 

Reiner shook his head to clear out the image of Bertholdt’s wiry but muscular frame in his mind. Fuck. 

“Did Annie already go to the mess hall?” Bertholdt asked, and Reiner snapped back to attention.

“Yeah, she was walking towards there when I was walking back.” Reiner replied, running a hand through his light gold hair. It was cropped short as it always was, and in his distraction he didn’t notice Bertholdt’s eyes flick upwards, following the motion of his hand subconsciously.

“Umm...are you going to just stand there? We’re going to be late to the mess hall and breakfast.” Reiner cleared his throat, gesturing vaguely towards the direction of the mess hall.  
“Reiner...It’s 6 am...I don’t think we will be late.” Bertholdt said hesitantly but kindly, and Reiner wanted to smack himself and hide in a hole. 

“Uh...yeah. What am I thinking. I’ll just go in and take a shower then. Since you’re done.” Reiner coughed awkwardly, grabbing some fresh clothes from his drawer. He hurried into the still warm bathroom that was slick with condensation, shutting and locking the door behind him. He sighed once he was sure that he wouldn’t slip and fall like an idiot before he even got into the tub. 

He stepped into the shower spray, wincing as the hot stream hit him. It was still blazing hot after Bertholdt’s shower, and he turned the knob to a more comfortable temperature. 

The significantly warmer spray was nice on his sore shoulders, and he huffed out a breath as he ruffled his hair with shampoo. It stuck up like a mohawk and he toyed with it for a moment before letting the shower wash it all off. It was getting long now; he should ask someone to cut it for him. Perhaps Zeke? He always was able to cut his own hair, and Reiner was confident that Zeke wouldn’t cut him by accident. 

After he felt significantly cleaner, Reiner stepped out of the shower and drew a fresh towel over his head. His clothes hadn’t been soaked by the collateral damage of the shower spray, so he slipped his favorite t-shirt on. HIs cargo pants were standard-issue and had enough pockets to fit a few machine guns worth of bullets, but they were comfortable enough to wear on a daily basis and flexible to use on missions. 

He stepped out of the freshly steaming bathroom, narrowly avoiding Bertholdt’s arm as it swung towards him. He ducked, feeling the whoosh of air as his roommate’s fist seemed to part the space between them.

“What the heck, Bertholdt?” Reiner stood up indignantly, just managing to keep his balance.

“Oh!! I...Sorry....I was just practicing speeding up my attacks...I promise I wasn’t trying to hit you or anything…” Bertholdt turned around, apologizing profusely. His face flushed, and he bowed his head in embarrassment. 

“No, it’s okay. I thought you were attacking me or something, and I just reacted. Come on, let’s go get some breakfast. Annie’s probably waiting.” Reiner said cheerfully, clapping his still-tense roommate and slipping on his shoes. He strode out the door and headed to the mess hall, Bertholdt in tow behind him.

“Why were you guys taking so long? Having sex or something?” Annie quipped, and both Reiner and Bertholdt choked on their pancakes. 

“Annie!” They said in unison between coughs. Annie hid a smile behind her hand, uncharacteristically. She was generally quite serious and unsocial, but there was something about these two that amused her. They were obviously in love with each other, but refused to admit it and annoyingly skirted around the fact. She took it upon herself to tease them every now and then, smiling fondly at their exasperated-but-embarrassed expressions. 

“Kidding. I’ve already finished my breakfast, so I’ll head to the training gyms out back. See you later.” She smirked slightly, standing up and throwing her empty plate onto the conveyor belt. With a toss of her blond hair, loosely tied in a bun, she stalked off to the nearby gym. 

“So, um. Let’s just forget that Annie was even here, yeah?” Reiner stated as calmly as he could while simultaneously inhaling his breakfast. It was a standard-issue cafeteria-type breakfast of pancakes, maple syrup, and some bacon, but he was so hungry that at this point he would have eaten a shoe and barely complained. Bertholdt nodded meekly, doing the same. 

“I’m going to go to Squad Leader Hange and figure out what we’re supposed to do with these new recruits tomorrow. See you around!” Reiner finished his breakfast before the awkward silence grew beyond his comfort zone, and practically ran out of the mess hall. In his haste, he didn’t notice Bertholdt’s eyes following him until he turned a corner and went out of sight. 

“Oh, Squad Leader!” Reiner saw his boss walking around in a circle right next to what looked like an abandoned well, muttering. He was unperturbed though; it was probably one of her scientific findings. He had long gotten used to random bursts of energy or shouting from her, steam practically erupting from her ears in excitement.

“Reiner! Hang on a second, I need to examine the rust rate of this metal!” Squad Leader Hange held up a finger to stop him, squinting with her large glasses on her head. Reiner obliged, waiting patiently. She would be done in a few minutes at least.

“Alright, what can I help you with?” His boss smiled brightly, writing down a few notes in her ever-present notebook. 

“I was just wondering...You mentioned a few new recruits? What are we supposed to do when they start work-show them around and such?” Reiner asked politely, hoping that she wouldn’t get distracted again until she had answered his question. It’s not like he had much of anything to do but her scientific explanations could take hours and hours.

“Ah, yes! The new recruits that have been admitted a few days ago are exceptional! You’ll see them tomorrow, I believe. Their names are Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert. Just show them around the corps, tell them what their jobs entail. Armin is going to be a strategist, Mikasa is an assassin like you three, and Eren is...well I’ll tell you later. ” the mad scientist rattled off, toying with a piece of rust between her fingers. Reiner nodded, firmly saluting out of habit.

“If that’s all then I have to go pester Levi! It’s his birthday in a month and I have to go remind him!” She dashed off toward the male dorms, reserved for Erwin, Levi, and the other male squad leaders. Reiner cracked a smile at her borderline silliness, but he respected her as much as any commander. She was bright and lively, and she always instructed them with a smile on her face. She was quick to act on the field, and had saved many a soldier’s life. 

Reiner simply stared off at the distance at her retreating form, wondering what the new recruits would be like.


	5. Chapter 5: Babysitting German Shepherds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or in which, Eren gets excited about his new job and discovers that Levi has to babysit Hange's dogs. Who promptly ruin his shirt.

“Eren, check your email! Mikasa and I got one from Commander Erwin this morning.” Eren woke up to Armin excitedly shaking him awake, also shaking a phone in his face. “Alright, alright, hang on!” Eren managed to ward off Armin’s arm, reaching over to the bedside table where his phone was charging. Indeed, he had gotten an email. Except for this email was not from the Commander.

“Captain.” Eren breathed, eagerly scanning his phone for the contents of the email. It was brief and terse, much like his Captain was, but he read the text all the same. ‘Morning, shitty brat. You’re probably still asleep right now. Let’s hope Mikasa has some sense to wake you up. Anyways, you’ll start work tomorrow. Erwin probably sent your two roommates emails regarding their actual roles in the corporation. I’m not going to tell you what your role is until you come to my office, for reasons currently undisclosable. You’ll find out when you get here. Levi.’ Eren put down his phone, perplexed. It was like captain to not really tell him anything, but he didn’t even know what he was going to do! And he thought he was originally applying to Shiganshina for an office job or something…

“What’s it say? Did the Commander give you the same instructions?” Armin asked, eyes brightening in anticipation. Running a hand through his bedhead, Eren yawned once more before replying to Armin.

“I got an email from Captain Levi, actually. He didn’t give me any instructions except for to start at work tomorrow, and come to his office for the details.” Eren shrugged, and he could practically see Armin’s thinking gears starting to run and spin.

“Who knows? Maybe he wants you to be the new janitor.” Quipped Mikasa from the other room, and eliciting Eren’s pillow throwing skills. “As if!” was all he retorted, but he was nonetheless curious. Knowing his captain, it wouldn’t be a fun job. At the least, it would be dangerous. ' _I never know how it’s going to turn out, you know. All I can rely on is my trust in my comrades and my years of experience. The rest of it is luck, because you never know exactly what is going to happen.'_  Eren recalled Captain Levi’s advice during a particularly dangerous mission. Many had died then. At least Eren could be reassured by the fact that he wouldn’t be subject to senseless danger. There would be a reason for the job he was given, and he trusted his Captain to make the right decision.

“Looks like someone has a hero-worship!!” Armin teased excitedly when Eren told him as much, still elated from the new job. Eren flushed, protesting vigorously.

“Come on, children. It’s time for breakfast and then cleaning up this mess of an aftermath.” Mikasa chastised them as she always did, fussing over Eren’s wild bedhead and Armin’s rumpled clothes. They still acted like they did when they were kids sometimes, like now, and Mikasa loved to watch them. Until they made more mess for her to clean up, which in this case was flinging pillows across the living room.

“Okay, mother.” Eren rolled his eyes childishly, following orders anyway. With the three of them on task, it was quick work to clean up the afterparty mess. They worked as the team that was familiar with military duty, and were efficient as could be. While Mikasa rearranged the furniture, Eren washed dishes and Armin hauled the plates back and forth. Some would say their gender stereotypical roles were switched but to them, it was to hell with gender stereotypes. To them, it was normal.

“Alright crew, we’re done! Spick and span and even that old geezer wouldn’t be able to complain.” Mikasa slapped a cool towel on her forehead, marching off to the shower in a self-satisfied fashion. Armin drank some orange juice, nice and chilled from the refrigerator, and Eren simply slapped a frozen water bottle to his head, wincing as the ice hit him.

“You know Armin...I wanna find out what my job is! I’m going to go to Captain Levi’s office right now after I put on some fresh clothes.” Eren exclaimed, and Armin whistled.

“You know how he is in the mornings though...He always gets up early but he’s never really happy about it. Who knows? He’s probably still in a bad mood..” Armin commented. Eren thought for a second about the probability that Captain Levi could kill him, then decided it was low enough to be safe.

“Well...Too bad for him because I’m going anyway.” Eren grinned, excitedly. Armin shook his head. If anyone asked, it wasn’t going to be his fault. So that is how Eren found himself confidently (not-so-confidently) walking out the front door with a rumpled shirt and sweatpants. Perhaps not the best outfit for meeting his clean-freak captain, but he really wanted to know. He had even insisted that Armin and Mikasa stay at home, much to their bemusement. Eren had decided that he couldn’t depend on them forever, and he would keep that promise to himself.

His thoughts, perhaps unsurprisingly, led him to the main building of Captain Levi’s office. Judging by the ‘open’ sign on the door, lit neon even in the rays of the morning sun, he was probably already there. If not, he could just stop by later.

“Um...Is Captain Levi here by any chance?” He asked nervously to the secretary tapping away at a laptop. The woman looked up, steel gray eyes piercing from behind full-moon glasses. If she didn’t look so serious, she might have looked cute with the large frames.

“Yes, the Captain is in. I assume from your appearance that you are Eren Jaeger?” She bit out, rather tersely, and Eren shrank back from her display of authority. Then he registered what she had said, and his ego reared up in indignance.

“I’m Eren Jaeger, yeah, but what about my appearance?” He retorted without thinking, then clapped a hand over his mouth. _Shit._

“If Captain Levi hadn’t warned me about you already I would have slit your throat.” The secretary had stood up, hand to her side where Eren suddenly noticed a few knives handy.

“I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude.” Eren apologized meekly, head down as the secretary flipped her hair in distaste, stalking off down the hallway. When Eren didn’t follow her, she turned around exasperatedly.

“Well don’t just stand there, do you want to meet him or not?” was her response, and Eren hurriedly made his way down to her. It wasn’t like he had any choice, after all.

“Sir, Eren Jaeger is here to see you.” Was her equally terse statement, and a brief pause ensued.

“Let him in.” Captain Levi’s tired voice echoed from behind the door.

“Well, you heard him.” the secretary stalked off back from whence she came, sitting at her cubicle with a pronounced hmph.

“Well will I have to wait all day, Jaeger? Come in or I’ll just lock you out.” the Captain said in a slightly annoyed tone, and Eren gulped. He didn’t sound like he was in a good mood. Nevertheless, he steeled his resolve and stepped inside the door, expecting to be greeted with a kick but instead being met with a pair of slobbery-tongued dogs.

“Wh...What the…?” Eren trailed off skeptically as two German Shepherds proceeded to happily leave a trail of saliva down his gray shirt.

“Ew. I forgot they did that. Sorry, brat. These are Hange’s mutts, Sawney and Bean. She ran out suddenly on some errands and shoved them in here.” Levi stood up from his desk, glancing distastefully at the mess on Eren’s shirt.

“How come they don’t lick you to death?” Eren asked, a little put out. “They tried once a few years ago, and almost got their tongues cut out. Needless to say, their survival instincts warn them now.” Levi explained, and Eren shivered at the implication. Poor dogs. As much as he lamented over the shirt, he loved dogs too much to complain.

“Anyways. What brings you here?” Levi continued, pulling up a chair from the corner and beckoning Eren to sit. With one glare he sent the two large dogs into the other corner, tails tucked between their legs and whimpering.

“Well, sir. Um...Your email this morning was quite cryptic...I wanted to know what my job would entail so I can come in with guns blazing.” Eren said hesitantly, gingerly pulling away the cold wet parts of his shirt. Levi watched this for a few seconds like a distracted hawk, sighing in exasperation. He finally yanked open a nearby drawer and pulled out a tightly rolled bundle, tossing it to Eren. Eren, to his credit, just barely caught it by the tips of his fingers.

“...Sir?” Was his only question.

“Put it on, brat. I can’t stand the sight of you keeping a saliva-soaked shirt on your body so just change.” Levi’s face contorted as he contemplated the thought, almost shuddering a little in disgust. Knowing full well that his captain wouldn’t really listen until he changed, Eren quickly pulled off his shirt and slipped on the new one. It was a stormy gray that matched Captain Levi’s eyes, and Eren struggled not to blush.

“So this is what you smell like.” He said, out loud. SHIT.

“Are you a teenager or what, Jaeger? Has a screw gone loose in your head? Because I think I hear it rattling around.” Levi retorted impatiently, and Eren was mortified.

“Never mind that. Anyways, so why you’re here. It’s...complicated. I assume you know already what Arlert and Ackerman’s roles are in the Corps...” Levi continued, trailing off and rolling his eyes as Eren had a confused expression on his face. “Arlert is a strategist, and Ackerman is an assassin. In layman’s terms, Arlert will be assisting Erwin on our large-key infiltrations and such. Ackerman will be assisting under Hange. But you...You will be part of our new Special Forces division, led by me. It’s still quite the secret around here so I will cut out your throat if you speak of it to anyone else before it is formally announced within the Corps. Understood? That’s why I was vague about it in the email because emails can be hacked and this is just too important.” Levi explained, and Eren nodded in understanding. Apprehension and excitement simultaneously rolled around in his stomach, and he couldn’t wait to get started. He was part of the new Special Forces unit! Led by his very own Captain!

“Satisfied, shitty brat? Now get out of here before I sic the dogs on you. I was nice enough to explain all this on a Sunday morning, in the middle of my busy schedule. You’d better be grateful.” Levi waved his hand towards the door, clearly a sign to leave. Eren was used to his mannerisms at this point and simply saluted politely, smiling widely at the new information.

“Yessir! Eren Jaeger, reporting for duty tomorrow!” Eren shouted, and spun on his heel. As he practically sprinted out the doorway, letting it close shut behind him, he missed the rare little smile that graced his superior’s normally serious face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoever is still following this fic, thanks! Sorry for the late update, I've been finishing up school and other summer-internship related things. 
> 
> Anyways, hope this makes up for it! Our little babies are in for some adventure soon...


	6. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or in which, the trio find themselves introduced to the base and Eren is miffed that Armin and Mikasa don't get sprayed.

“Whee! Hiya Armin and Mikasa!” was the first thing the trio heard when they stepped onto the grounds of Law Firm Maria. They weren’t at the main building but instead at a country branch building which was a few acres of privately owned land used for the training base.

Eren luckily jumped out of the way this time but Armin and Mikasa were the victims of the two German Shepherds Sawney and Bean.

“Down. Stay.” Mikasa’s commanding tone stopped the two excited dogs in their tracks, and they whimpered as they reluctantly followed her orders.

“...Why.” Was Eren’s only response, not surprised but miffed all the same. Armin had also managed to avoid the spray, stepping away just in time. Mikasa and Armin had also cleverly worn their tracksuits given to them by the ROTC program, which were idealized for military and training exercise. Eren of course had ripped his and it was sitting on Armin’s desk. Despite Armin’s overall clumsiness, he was quite talented with his hands and thus helped Mikasa with sewing and repairing (generally Eren’s) clothes. After the fiasco yesterday where Eren came home in Captain Levi’s shirt (slightly too short for him but he didn’t complain), Mikasa and Armin had obviously planned forward.  
“You have a knack for leadership, Mikasa! Sawney and Bean usually just like two things; eating, and licking people to death. The fact that you managed to stop them in their tracks proves you’ve got a dominant streak. Nice! And Armin, good avoidance tactics. When it’s evident that you won’t be able to stop the enemy head on, avoidance is the next best strategy.” Hange explained, holding the two dogs by their collars. “Eren...I heard you got soaked yesterday when meeting Levi! Haha. Sorry about that. He gave you a shirt, right? You must be quite special...He avoids sharing clothes like the plague. So...You get...honorary points for getting on Levi’s good side?” She continued, energetic as ever. Eren grinned proudly, holding up a bag with the freshly washed shirt in it.

“Washed it twice! Hopefully he doesn’t find a speck of dust on it. I’ll probably die before I even start my job!” Eren proclaimed cheerfully, only half-joking.

“Alright! So let’s get started. I’m going to give you a short tour of where you’re going to be on your training days. Training days are in varied blocks for each regiment, and you guys are going to receive beginner training. After a few months of beginner training depending on your progress, you will move on and begin focusing on your own role here-taking a more instructed course by your mentors. Mikasa, you’re under me. Armin, you’re under Commander Erwin. And Eren, you’re under Captain Levi. For the first few months however, you’ll be under Instructor Shadis who is in charge of all the new recruits. He will teach you basic battle skills needed for every soldier. Of course you had all those beginner courses at the ROTC but it never hurts for a review course! After that he will teach you the basics of our newest equipment, which will help you to maneuver around your opponent. It’s also versatile enough to be used with any role, which is why we got our head engineer to test it on everyone. Don’t worry! It’s safe enough if you have a lick of common sense. On your down time, you will be assigned to a student mentor-a few of our older trainees have been selected. They are quite excellent and will be able to teach you many things from the perspective of a student. Understood? That sums up about half a year or so here. We give an evaluation test after the basic training to see where your progress is, and you’re cut out of the program if you fail to place in the top ten! I’m sure you three will be completely fine though. Understood?” Hange finished her explanation, long-winded but extremely informative. Mikasa simply nodded and bowed slightly in thanks. Armin of course, had pulled out his trusty notebook and was scribbling bullet points. Eren, true to character, had started to tune out. 

“Just send that to me later, alright Armin?” Eren whispered as the tetrad continued to move throughout the base. Hange showed them the mess hall, the dorms where they would be staying, and all the important places.

“Alright, now go to your respective bosses. They’ll put you through a simple orientation, and we’ll assign you three to the Vogel Trio. You’d do well to memorize all the code names around here-it’ll help on the missions. They should be done in about an hour, so meet back up here and we can start your first training schedule with Shadis.” Hange finished the tour, and the three newcomers saluted crisply to their superior.

“Mikasa, come with me! Armin, Commander Erwin’s office is back over there near the grove. Eren, Levi’s office is the opposite way. Now don’t get lost!” Hange beamed and reined in Sawney and Bean as she basically hauled Mikasa with her.

“Hey! I won’t get lost!” Eren retorted, a minute too late. Armin shook his head and grinned, ushering Eren to the right direction before heading off on his own to find Commander Erwin’s office. 

Eren watched his two friends go in opposite directions, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness that set his senses tingling. True to Armin’s word, the Captain’s office was straight in his direction where he just had to walk until he bumped into the small building.

“Come in.” Called the familiarly serious voice of the Captain, even before Eren had a chance to knock. Had the Captain been expecting him? It was also equally likely that he was just that sensitive to Eren’s footsteps.

“Captain Levi, sir! Eren Jaeger, here for service and ready for orientation, sir!” Eren saluted enthusiastically, heels clicking loudly as he practically slammed them together. Levi winced. The shitty brat was one of the most loyal he had trained, but often...just too loud. 

“Alright alright, shitty brat. I assume Four-Eyes already showed you around? Good. This makes things a lot easier. I’m going to explain what you have to do, so listen up and don’t you dare tune out. If you do, I’ll make you drop and do a few hundred pushups immediately. Understand?” Levi stood from his desk, still quite menacing despite his stature. Eren nodded, afraid to verbalize his affirmation. 

“Good. Seems like you’ve learned a few things since your ROTC days. Like I mentioned yesterday, you’re going to be part of the Special Forces. Don’t get a big head-it’s not because of outstanding mental acuity like Arlert or combat skills like Ackerman. It’s because...you’re the only lead we have. And we need to keep you close and heavily guarded otherwise you might be stolen or left for dead...or worse.” Levi stepped closer to Eren, voice dropping low into an almost purring that left Eren slightly dazed.

“Stay with me, brat. I’m not done.” Levi rolled his eyes and snapped Eren back to attention. 

“So that’s the situation. It’s something that only the top brass know, and I can’t tell you all the details. All I can tell you is that we need to know where you are at all times whether it’s on missions or not. You’re going to be specialized in self defense and concealable weapons with Shadis, and you’ll be on a different instructing track than the others. It’s purely for necessity, and it will save your life one day. Understand? You are to tell no one of this development. I know you trust Ackerman and Arlert with your life but you must not tell them. They will be in ten times as much danger if they know about this. They will find out, but in due time. They cannot know before then. If word gets out then our entire plan is ruined and I will personally come and kill you myself. Comprends-tu?” Levi matched Eren gaze for gaze and Eren nodded. 

“Good. Now. Let’s head out. I need to show you where you’re going to be living for the next few months.” Levi cleared his throat, briskly striding out of his office and grabbing some keys by the door. Eren promptly did a double-take.

“Wait...Captain? What do you mean, ‘where I’m going to be living for the next few months’?” Eren asked, and Levi’s eyeroll was practically audible.

“Did you hear anything I just said? We have to keep you close and heavily guarded. That includes your daily life. Don’t worry-we’re not arresting you or anything. You’ll be housed in a basically everything-proofed room.” Levi clarified, and Eren was still not completely pacified. However, he could feel his superior’s patience thinning and decided just to follow him for now.

As Eren walked with his Captain to his new chambers, he could have sworn that he felt something-or someone-watching him intently. If Levi also noticed the intrusive gaze, he made no indication that he did so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol I'm sorry for being a terrible person and not updating in...months....
> 
> School came around and kind of screwed me over...but I'm back to writing HIWTHI! :)
> 
> See you next chapter!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, and feel free to drop a comment or a kudos! They would make my day.


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